Former A's Right-Hander Returning to the Big Leagues with Tampa Bay Rays

While the Tampa Bay Rays (72-75) season is more than likely over at this point, they're calling up a feel good story for the stretch run in 27-year-old right-hander Garrett Acton ahead of Saturday's game against the Chicago Cubs. In a corresponding move, the Rays have also optioned Eric Orze to Triple-A Durham.

Acton originally went undrafted in 2020, thanks to there only being a five-round draft that season, but signed with the A's in June of that year and worked his way through the minors fairly quickly, conquering both levels of A Ball in his pro debut in 2021, then making his way through Double-A and up to Triple-A in year two.

He was called up on Mother's Day in 2023 for his big-league debut, and went 1 2/3 innings against the Texas Rangers without allowing a hit, a walk or a run, while striking out two. It was a pretty impressive debut.

Acton could be the Rays' latest success story

He said that he was going to pick out a hat for his mom for Mother's Day when he was still in Las Vegas, and his manager knew this. The manager told him that he may want to pick out an A's hat for his mom, because he was headed to the big leagues.

Acton lasted through the end of the month with the A's, getting into six games and totaling 5 2/3 innings, but his last two outings against the Houston Astros he totaled one inning of work and seven runs allowed, which led to him being optioned back to Vegas.

Not too long after, he was placed on the 7-day IL and then released by the Athletics. Acton ended up needing Tommy John surgery, but was signed to a minor-league deal by the Rays in December of '23. He wouldn't pitch in any games in 2024, but made his return to the bump at the beginning of the 2025 campaign with Durham.

HIs season began great, as he held a 2.25 ERA through April, including a 1.64 mark in the month (one run allowed in March), but he ran into a little trouble in May, which led to a 4.82 mark for the month. In June and July he combined for 21 innings of work and allowed just three earned runs, walking five and striking out 30.

On the season he holds a 5-1 record with a 3.64 ERA across 54 1/3 innings of work with a 1.10 WHIP. He seems like the type of pitcher that should thrive in the Tampa Bay Rays bullpen, and now he'll have a chance to do so.